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The first half of the WNBA regular season ended on July 17 after four teams completed their games. Minnesota won 86-79 against Atlanta before Dallas joined the Lynx with a 101-93 victory over Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever. The hugely successful All-Star Game three nights later in Phoenix capped off the league’s first few months.
With professional basketball players representing Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympics, the league is also taking a break. Action will resume on August 15 with three games on the schedule. The Phoenix Mercury vs. Chicago Sky, Washington Mystics vs. Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty vs. LA Sparks will open the second half of the season.
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Each team will have 14 regular-season games left to determine the playoff seedings. The top eight teams will make the WNBA postseason regardless of conference. At the midway point of the regular season, the New York Liberty (21-4) and the Connecticut Sun (18-6) lead the field. The two-time defending champ Las Vegas Aces are in the fifth spot with a 16-8 win-loss slate.
If the playoffs started after the All-Star game, the Indiana Fever (11-15) and the Chicago Sky (10-14) would be in the postseason. The postseason debuts of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese would be sensational news.
There is plenty of basketball to be played in the second half with 14 games left. The Atlanta Dream (7-17), LA Sparks (6-18), Washington Mystics (6-19) and Dallas Wings (6-19) all have a shot at making the playoffs.
August 20 is the WNBA Trade Deadline
The WNBA is enjoying its Olympic break but team executives will not be taking it easy as the trade deadline will be on August 20. Marina Mabrey moving from Chicago to Connecticut could set the ball rolling for more transactions.
Mabrey strengthens the Sun who are going to be championship contenders. She brings shooting, playmaking and versatility to a team with title aspirations.
Chicago isn’t likely to win the championships so it added more assets to build around Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. The Sky got spot-up shooters Rachel Banham, Moriah Jefferson, a 2025 first-round pick and a 2026 first-round pick swap.
Basketball fans can expect the other teams to respond with a move or two.
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese will face off again before the playoffs
The highly anticipated team-up between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese finally opened in the 2024 WNBA All-Star game. They played a key role in Cheryl Miller’s team winning 117-109 over Team USA. Clark and Reese will resume their rivalry once the regular season gets underway.
On August 30, the Indiana Fever will be in Chicago for their fourth and final meeting with the Sky. The two teams are 7-8 in the race for the playoffs so that game will have huge postseason implications. That game will also be their last head-to-head as the WNBA Rookie of the Year battle tightens.
